Kitchens for Mississippi Supreme CourtYet again, a race for a vitally important position in Mississippi has devolved into misleading rhetoric about a candidate for, supposedly, being soft on violent crime.
Do Not Appeal Frivolous Planned Parenthood LawA federal judge struck down Mississippi's political Medicaid reimbursement law for "nontherapeutic abortion providers" last week in an attempt to block Planned Parenthood from receiving federal funding.
Mississippi: Stop Disenfranchising Black VotersMississippi has the second highest rate of voter disenfranchisement in the country, largely due to post-sentence restrictions. The state is one of 12 where a person can serve his or her time, be released and not automatically be able to …
State Leaders: It’s Time to Dump TrumpIf our state's political leaders were looking for an easy opt-out of supporting Donald Trump for president, they missed that precious 48-hour window of opportunity to speak out and say so.
Save the Arts, Save the Arts CouncilBy cutting funding to the Greater Jackson Arts Council, the City of Jackson administration ends a 35-year-long legacy of providing access to funding and support for those with the least amount of exposure to the traditionally white-only art network. Barring …
Help Kids with Action and Planning, Not EgoIt's a tough time for children in Jackson, and in Mississippi overall. Truthfully, at least when it comes to poor children, the state has never been especially kind or helpful to them.
Don’t Let Up on the State Flag: It Must ChangeMississippians have attempted to change the state flag in several venues: ballot initiatives, lawsuits and petitioning lawmakers to pass legislation. So far, nothing has worked.
City Must Pick Up the Pieces, Move OnThe City of Jackson needs to do whatever it takes to keep from being ruled and stagnated by rumors and lawsuits. And let's be honest, after the lawsuits filed against Mayor Tony Yarber and the administration, a lot of rumors …
Mississippi, Time for More Women in OfficeIt's 2016, a year that some would argue is historic in nature, as women around the country watch another woman heading a major political party's campaign for the White House. But sexism is far from over, even within millennial circles, …
VA, Please Listen to VeteransThe U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has taken a step, albeit a small one, in the right direction. They've admitted they have a problem, specifically with wait times for military veterans.
We Need Leadership, Organization, OpennessThe only mayor any of us should elect is one with a laser focus on getting our city organized to solve our problems together. We need real leadership now.
Mr. Trump, We Are All ImmigrantsThis is a nation built on immigration. Unless you are Native American, you are not indigenous to this country.
Mindsets Must Change to Stop Juvenile CrimeAssumptions that a citizen execution is appropriate for a property crime and that certain young people can't be helped and should be locked up are at the crux of our juvenile-crime crisis.
Wasting Resources on LiesThe state's leaders prioritize their conservative politicking above all else despite costs to the taxpayer that a federal lawsuit filed by Planned Parenthood after Senate Bill 2238 took effect July 1 will inevitably have.
What the End of Bonding Really MeansWith the end of bonding for misdemeanor offenses in the Jackson Municipal Court, the cost of freedom for indigent offenders prior to their trial seems to be the death of the local bonding industry.
For the Love of Women, Kids, Everyone ElseThe Legislature is already in a financial bind—calling a special session with two days left in the fiscal year clearly means things are bad. So quit making them worse by wasting tax dollars on lawsuits that go nowhere except as …
It’s Time to Fight for Disability RightsAt its core, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act is about discrimination. The federal act was passed in 1990, and Title II "prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by public entities."
Politicizing TragedyThe nation woke up Sunday to a horrific shock—the worst mass shooting in recent U.S. history—that at least for now appears to be part terror, part hate crime.
City Council and Mayor: Get on Same PageWe can see it from both sides—Mayor Tony Yarber, after running on a platform of transparency, has dipped deep in to the rainy day fund and then brought it up after the fact. And while the entire Siemens contract and …
Trafficking: An Ugly Reality in MississippiHuman trafficking, a form of slavery, doesn't just happen overseas in prostitution rings or on television. It's a nasty, ugly reality—and it happens right here in Mississippi.
Lawmakers: Stop Using Transgender Citizens as Political PawnsIn a state where lawmakers couldn't make domestic violence grounds for divorce, the same group of legislators claim that the protection of girls and women informs their decision to demand the state superintendent of education to resign from her job …
Lawmakers: Stop the Shortsighted, Dangerous Budget CutsSeveral state agencies are looking at budget cuts for the coming fiscal year, and a reduction in services to Mississippians—from mental-health care to rehabilitation treatment—will inevitably put pressure on local communities and other support services to pick up the slack.
Using Evidence to Bridge Partisan GapsOf all the things the Legislature did this year, a budgeting strategy that could potentially save the state wasted dollars in the long-term and ensure taxpayer dollars fund successful programs emerged as a priority, albeit a quiet one, of the …
Needed: Public Engagement in PolicingIt takes more than policing to "cut down on crime" and create safer neighborhoods. It takes a village, quite literally. Community engagement is crucial to keeping neighborhoods and cities safe.
Hosemann Wrong on Voter ID, Right on Election ReformThe state's election laws and rules are outdated, and if you don't believe us, just go back and read about the two contested election races that shadowed the beginning of the 2016 session.
Lawmakers: Cashing in on Campaign Promises is Costly and SenselessCutting state agencies, some by more than 10 percent, is bad. Cutting state agencies and then offering up a tax-break bill that will divert even more money from the state's general fund is plain stupid.
Mississippians have attempted to change the state flag in several venues: ballot initiatives, lawsuits and petitioning lawmakers to pass legislation. So far, nothing has worked.
It takes more than policing to "cut down on crime" and create safer neighborhoods. It takes a village, quite literally. Community engagement is crucial to keeping neighborhoods and cities safe.
The state's election laws and rules are outdated, and if you don't believe us, just go back and read about the two contested election races that shadowed the beginning of the 2016 session.
In interviews about House Bill 1523, several lawyers and legal scholars have explained that is close to irrefutable that the law is unconstitutional on several counts.